Rapid City, South Dakota Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota: median public in-state tuition $10,500 (+90.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $54,791 (+0.8% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,000 (+13.0% vs U.S.) 3,734 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Rapid City serve students across South Dakota with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 3,734 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $10,500. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Rapid City, South Dakota and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Rapid City vs South Dakota & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, South Dakota | $10,500 | $19,694 | $15,000 | 26.5% | 3,734 |
| South Dakota (state median) | $8,294 | $15,911 | $23,250 | 43.0% | 35,477 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Rapid City, South Dakota vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, South Dakota | $54,791 | 87.8% | 58.7% | 9.3% | — | 72.3% | 0.58 |
| South Dakota (state median) | $51,926 | 94.5% | 75.5% | 5.2% | — | 82.8% | 0.46 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in South Dakota (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, South Dakota | $10,500 | $19,694 | $15,000 | 26.5% | 3,734 | $54,791 | 87.8% |
| Sioux Falls | $14,700 | $19,392 | $17,624 | 67.9% | 5,887 | $56,869 | 94.9% |
| Mitchell | $20,657 | $16,598 | $19,500 | 48.3% | 1,660 | $53,728 | 95.6% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 52.9%, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 0.0%, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.6%, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 80.1%, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Most selective college in Rapid City, South Dakota (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 79.9%, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $90,514, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $69,890, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $95,639, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $83,078, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $62,863, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $29,641, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $66,297, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $31,950, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $72,257, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $37,325, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $234,359, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $9,039, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $20,183, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, Net Price, $31,062, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
Top 2 colleges in Rapid City, South Dakota by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 84.1%, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 33.3%, National American University-Rapid City
National American University-Rapid City
In-state tuition: Rapid City, South Dakota vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Rapid City, South Dakota median in-state tuition is $10,500, +90.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Rapid City, South Dakota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Rapid City, South Dakota is $15,000 (+13.0% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Rapid City, South Dakota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Rapid City, South Dakota center around $54,791 (+0.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Rapid City, South Dakota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.8% at the median Rapid City, South Dakota campus (-0.1 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Rapid City, South Dakota median public in-state tuition is $10,500, about +90.5% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +68.7%.
Median graduate debt is $15,000 (+13.0% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Rapid City, South Dakota are $54,791, about +0.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 87.8% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-0.1 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 58.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 72.3% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (95.6%), National American University-Rapid City (80.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Rapid City, South Dakota is 26.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Rapid City?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Rapid City, South Dakota with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Rapid City?
Median in-state tuition in Rapid City is $10,500 and median net price is $19,694. For South Dakota overall, medians are $8,294 and $15,911; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Rapid City?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Rapid City is $54,791 vs $51,926 for South Dakota and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Rapid City colleges?
Median completer debt in Rapid City is $15,000 vs $23,250 for South Dakota and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Rapid City?
Top campuses on this page include South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (graduation) and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Rapid City?
Among 5 College Scorecard campuses in Rapid City, South Dakota, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- South Dakota college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON